Who Signs Checks?

Discuss questions around local unit policies for budgeting, reconciling, etc. This forum should not contain specific financial or membership information.
Gary_Miller
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#21

Post by Gary_Miller »

russellhltn wrote:
Gary_Miller wrote:I would trust that he has read the Handbook and is making the proper decision based on the guidance in the Handbook regardless of what information others have given him.
I'm not sure as I understand your position. Is it that the training only says "should not" which leaves open the possibility of allowing a clerk? Or are you saying only the Handbook matters?
I am saying in matters where the training differs from the handbooks, the handbooks is the policy.
russellhltn
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#22

Post by russellhltn »

Gary_Miller wrote: I am saying in matters where the training differs from the handbooks, the handbooks is the policy.
I disagree. Not all policy is written in the handbook. The training does not contradict the handbook.
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Gary_Miller
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#23

Post by Gary_Miller »

russellhltn wrote:I disagree. Not all policy is written in the handbook.
Your right not all policy is written in the Handbook. However, "We need to remember that policy directions are approved and announced only by the First Presidency. They are not introduced through rumor from one leader or member to another." (Overview of the New Handbooks Elder Dallin H. Oaks).
russellhltn wrote:The training does not contradict the handbook.
It certainly does contradict the handbook. The handbook only states Stake Clerks and Assistant Stake Clerks are not to be auditors. The training includes ward clerks and assistant ward clerks.
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#24

Post by lajackson »

Gary_Miller wrote:It certainly does contradict the handbook. The handbook only states Stake Clerks and Assistant Stake Clerks are not to be auditors. The training includes ward clerks and assistant ward clerks.
Actually, it doesn't contradict at all. It augments the Handbook by adding an additional potential limitation. Stake presidents receive very specific training from their priesthood leaders on how to handle these types of situations.
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#25

Post by sbradshaw »

mbs6 wrote:Excellent. Thank you for the clarity. Of all the questions raised, the one which gives me the most trouble is whether the Bishop must sign all checks, most especially fast offering checks. I've encountered several auditors and clerks over the years who insist the Bishop must sign all checks. I prefer to have counselors sign the checks once I have the Bishop's approval. The Bishop has enough to do without me inventing requirements for him. Having him sign every check often requires me to interrupt and command his attention toward paperwork when he is busy with ecclesiastical matters.
If you don't "interrupt and command [the bishop's] attention" how can he approve the expenses? He may not have to sign, but he does have to approve the expenses, so there does have to be some sort of interaction with him.
russellhltn
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#26

Post by russellhltn »

Gary_Miller wrote:However, "We need to remember that policy directions are approved and announced only by the First Presidency. They are not introduced through rumor from one leader or member to another." (Overview of the New Handbooks Elder Dallin H. Oaks).
I would not classify the training material coming from CHQ as "rumor".

The training adds a "should not" to the Handbook's "shall not". It does not approve something the Handbook prohibits.
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gregwanderson
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#27

Post by gregwanderson »

russellhltn wrote:Not all policy is written in the handbook.
Seeing as how the 2010 handbook is supposed to replace anything in the handbooks that came before (and there's no older handbook to refer to because it should have been destroyed), we may be left in a confusing spot. How can we know if a topic is simply covered outside of the handbook or if its exclusion from the handbook was on purpose, meaning there is not supposed to be a policy about that topic? How do we know if training materials were written before or after the current handbook was published?

Ideally, there would be no conflict between the information contained in the handbook and any other material which comes from any level of church leadership. But when the handbook and any other source are covering the same topic and one of them appears to be different from the other, it's only natural that we would defer to the handbook.
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#28

Post by russellhltn »

mrrad wrote:How do we know if training materials were written before or after the current handbook was published?
Is that a problem in this case? I can't remember having a problem figuring out the date of a official directive is when I've been able to lay my hands on it - only when someone is reporting what they've read.
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gregwanderson
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#29

Post by gregwanderson »

russellhltn wrote:Is that a problem in this case?
In this case? I have no idea. My new calling is not an access-to-handbook-one calling. I just thought that the principles we're discussing here, if true, should be applicable to all situations where there's a question of the handbook vs. some other source.
russellhltn wrote:I can't remember having a problem figuring out the date of a official directive is when I've been able to lay my hands on it - only when someone is reporting what they've read.
...and that brings us back on topic. This whole discussion started because someone was following a policy when nobody can find the source of that policy anymore... so that made it difficult to figure out if the policy was outdated or if it never officially existed in the first place. The only evidence we have that it was a policy is someone remembered that it used to be that way.
russellhltn
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Re: Who Signs Checks?

#30

Post by russellhltn »

mrrad wrote:...and that brings us back on topic. This whole discussion started because someone was following a policy when nobody can find the source of that policy anymore... so that made it difficult to figure out if the policy was outdated or if it never officially existed in the first place. The only evidence we have that it was a policy is someone remembered that it used to be that way.
If no one can find it, that's a different story.

But like most threads, this one has gone from the issue of who can sign checks to who can be an auditor? The Handbook or the current training materials for the auditors? Does one take presidence, or do they co-exist?
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